The book of Revelation is a book of matchless value to believers for many reasons, including these eight reasons that many believers may not be aware of fully:
1. Revelation uniquely stresses information about its unique origin—a stress that is divinely purposeful—we must consider why God gave us this information about its origin in the way that He did.
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne
2. Revelation uniquely informs the reader of the unique value of the book by its being the only New Testament book that explicitly says that those who properly receive what the books says will be specially favored by God: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Rev. 1:3).
Furthermore, Revelation has six more statements about who will be blessed, including a reiteration of the blessedness of those who heed what the book says:
Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
3. Revelation is unique in the scope of what it reveals: things that John saw that no other man has ever seen; the things that were true in his day, which no other writer of Scripture lived to tell us about; and the things that would take place shortly after these things; it is also the only book in Scripture that provides additional revelation about the tree of life!
Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
4. Revelation uniquely states the breadth of its intended recipients: the book is for all those who are the servants of Christ (Rev. 1:1); seven times, Jesus declares, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches,” which shows that the book is for all churches of all time; and Jesus tells about an action that He will render so that “all the churches shall know” a specific truth about Him (Rev. 2:23).
The book also includes two other statements of its universal applicability: “If any man have an ear, let him hear” (Rev. 13:9); and, “Let him that hath understanding count . . .” (Rev. 13:18). Finally, the book ends with Jesus declaring again the widespread value of the book: “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.” (Rev. 22:16).
5. Revelation uniquely sets forth the importance of churches—Yes, our lives as individual believers are important (cf. Matt. 5:16), but we must also understand the significance of these churches being spoken of as golden lampstands (Rev. 1:20); Christ walks in their midst (Rev. 2:1); also, the word “churches” occurs more times in the book of Revelation than it does in any other book of the NT.
6. Revelation uniquely emphasizes the importance of Christian pastors: the glorified Christ holds them in His hands in a special way (Rev. 1:16, 20); He says that He scrutinizes their lives in a profound way and warns them to repent or else face His judgment (Rev. 2:5, 16). Obviously, these statements show the special importance of this book for all those who are leaders in Christian churches and for all those of us whom they lead.
7. Revelation uniquely presents that the glorified Jesus emphasized repeatedly that the Father was His God:
Rev 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
8. Revelation is unique because of the fearful warnings that it reveals about altering its contents, which highlights its special nature:
Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Given these many ways in which the book of Revelation is of incomparable value, I urge to you profit fully from the book by reading it often, hearing all that it says, and keeping all that it reveals about what the people of God are to be and do!
Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.
